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ShazzieB

(20,694 posts)
21. You can recognize that someone is an enemy without dehumanizing them.
Sat Apr 19, 2025, 01:45 PM
Apr 19

Those are two separate -- not unrelated, but separate -- issues.

First of all, the word enemy has a much broader meaning than someone you want to kill. That's one sense in which the word can be used, but not the only one. I just did a quick Google, and the first definition of "enemy" that came up is "a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something." Ben Shapiro and others like him are obviously enemies of trans people in that respect, because they want to make laws that limit or even eliminate their rights.

Dehumanizing one's enemies is something we should all try to avoid (although it can be VERY hard, especially when they're dehumanizing you), and being able to have a thoughtful conversation with someone you disagree with can be a constructive thing IF the other person is willing to do that (which is not always the csse). Even though I'm just an old, straight, cis, white lady, I can easily see that it can be excruciatingly hard, if not impossible, for a trans person to have such a conversation with someone who literally wants to legislate against their right to exist (and there are plenty of people who want to do so). That's why it's important for cis allies to stand with them and speak up o their behalf, especially at a time like this, when their rights are under fierce attack.

The trans community also needs the rest of us to respect the fact that they know who their enemies are, and that they have the right to call them out. Any oppressed or marginalized group knows damned well who their enemies are, and those who are not a member of such a group do NOT have the right to tell those in the group who their enemies are or are not.

Cis people who want to be allies can do what Neil DeGrasse Tyson did in this video while also being fully aware of who the enemies of the trans community are.

Recommendations

1 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

The way this stuff gets framed in the respective circles is whats wrong with society SSJVegeta Apr 19 #1
Ben Shapiro very much is the enemy BootOutTheGoons Apr 19 #2
No hes not. Hes a human being. SSJVegeta Apr 19 #3
Excuse me?! BootOutTheGoons Apr 19 #4
This message was self-deleted by its author SSJVegeta Apr 19 #5
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO DEFEND OURSELVES BootOutTheGoons Apr 19 #6
That debate with Tyson and Shapiro is quite perfectly "reaching across the aisle" SSJVegeta Apr 19 #7
IF GIVEN THEIR WAY THEY'D KILL PEOPLE LIKE ME BootOutTheGoons Apr 19 #8
You likely interact with people cordially every day who love Shapiro SSJVegeta Apr 19 #10
I love being lectured by someone young enough to be my kid who hasn't walked in my boots BootOutTheGoons Apr 19 #11
.. SSJVegeta Apr 19 #12
Then if you wanna play footsies with that, cool BootOutTheGoons Apr 19 #13
This is a discussion forum. I will give my opinion. SSJVegeta Apr 19 #14
I don't care if this is a discussion forum or not BootOutTheGoons Apr 19 #15
Abuse is demonizing others and claiming a right to hurt others becsuse they hurt you SSJVegeta Apr 19 #18
So ridiculous Envirogal Apr 19 #20
"Passionate issue.." BootOutTheGoons Apr 19 #28
don't bother vercetti2021 Apr 19 #30
You can recognize that someone is an enemy without dehumanizing them. ShazzieB Apr 19 #21
In my opinion, it's not the most productive language in the world SSJVegeta Apr 19 #23
Thank you. ShazzieB Apr 19 #25
Anytime! SSJVegeta Apr 19 #26
That's why I did not put up the title that was on Youtube. Maraya1969 Apr 19 #16
❤️🧡💛💚 SSJVegeta Apr 19 #19
Excellent choice! 😃 ShazzieB Apr 19 #22
Yeah Hitler was such a great guy too vercetti2021 Apr 19 #29
Ben is neck-deep in Daily Wire propaganda. czarjak Apr 19 #9
The bottom line is chromosomes. rickford66 Apr 19 #17
Very true! ShazzieB Apr 19 #24
I figured Neil would be educated enough to bring this up. rickford66 Apr 19 #27
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